Improvement in mowers



{Sheets-Sheet 1. J. H. JONES.

Mower.

No. 218,534. Patented Aug. 12, 1-879.

N.PETERS, PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASmNG'mN, n c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2, J. H. JONES.

Mower.

No. 218,534. Patented Aug. 12, I879.

J erra, 767108. %Q? By his Attorneys H D N-FETES. PHOWUTHOGRAPHER,WASHINGTON. D C.

v r 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. H. JONES.

By his Attorneys WQAIMV M MPEFZES. FNDTOJJTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

4 Sheets-"Sheet 4.

J. H. JONES. Mower.

No. 218,534. Patentedug. 12, 1879.

WITNESSES INTOR Jflrw'a/ v anes,

.By his Attorney's N-FETERSA PHOTO-LITNOGRAFHER. WASHKNGTON. D C- UNITEDSTATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JAMES H. JONES, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO EMERSON, TALGOTT &(30., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,534, dated August12, 1879; application filed February 28, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES HERVA JONES, of Rockford, in the county of'Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements i n Mowin g-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention mainly relates to improvements in mowing-machines of theclass commonly known as two wheeled front cut hinged-bar machines.

My object chiefly is to improve the connections between the cuttingapparatus and main frame in that type of the above-mentioned generalclass of machines in which thefinger-beam is adapted to be rocked aboutits longitudinal axis, as well as to be raised and lowered by the driverwhile in his seat.

My improvements consist in novel organizations of parts, and in certaincombinations of devices hereinafter first fully described, and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown all my improvements asembodied in a harvesting-machine of the construction I prefer.Obviously, however, some of the improvements may be usedwithout theothers, and in connection with machines differing somewhat as to detailsof construction from that therein shown, and hereinafter specificallydescribed.

Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a machine embodying all myimprovements, a portion of the finger-beam and cutter-bar being brokenaway; Fig. 2, a side elevation with the inner supporting wheel removedand the cutting apparatus in section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3,a flout elevation with the tongue in section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a plan or top view of a portion of the main frame, showing thegearing and that portion of the casing therefor which is cast with theframe. Fig. 5 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection, on or about the line55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a view, partly inelevation, as seen from the rear, and partly in vertical section, on theline 6 6 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 7 is a view of the under side of the outerend of the crankshaft-supporting arm or forwardly-p'rojecting cornerportion of the main frame, showing the coupling-arm hooked connectiontherewith.

The main axle A is supported on the wheels B B, both of which may beloosely mounted and be provided with backing-ratchets to constitutedriving-wheels. In this instance, however, there is but a single driver,the wheelB being loose, and the wheel B keyed to the axle to act as adriving-wheel. The axle A revolves in suitable hearings in the mainframe A, which is of metal, preferably cast in a single piece, withhalf-boxes for the axle, a depression or cavity constituting the lowerhalf or section, 0, of the gear-casing, a forwardlyextending arm ornarrow corner projection, 0 for the crank-shaft, and to connect with thecoupling-arm, and atongue-socket and tool-box projecting portion orforward extension, 0 This tongue-socket and tool-box arm or extension ofthe main frame is of peculiar construction. The upwardly-projectingflanges or top ribs a a thereof form between them the socket for thetongue, and the latter flange and the flange a form the sides or wallsof the toolbox D. The bottom of the tool-boxis below thelevel of thelower side of that portion of the frame extension 0 upon which thetongue D is bolted, and the rib or flange d beneath or forming acontinuation of the rib a projects do .v

ward below the bottom of the tool-box. By this construction the frame isrendered very strong at the point where the tongue is attached to it,where it is subjected to great strain, and a tool-box is provided at aslight 'cost.

Suitable removable half-boxes, bearing-covers, or cap-pieces b b areprovided for the main axle, as usual.

The gearing for driving the cutters consists of the loosely-mountedspur-pinion E, adapted to be locked with or disengaged from the axle,and serving to impart motion to the small pinion 0 and its attachedpinion E on the counter-shaft F. The pinion E serves to drive acorresponding pinion, f, on the main axle, and through it the attachedbevel-pinion f and the crank shaft pinion c. This gearing is such ascommonly employed, and operates, when in action, in a well-known way.

To throw the gearing into and out of operation, a weightedshipping-lever, F is provided. This lever swings back and forth in an inclined or diagonal slot, 1, in the bearing-cover or cap-piece I), and isconnected with the movable section g of the shifting-clutch connec tionbetween the pinion E and the main axle A. This clutehsection 1' ismovable endwise on the axle, but always rotates therewith, being engagedwith it, as is well understood.

When the lever is thrown forward (by a kick of the drivers foot) thesection y of the clutch engages with the clutch-section g on thedriving-pinion E, and throws the cutters into operation.

The weight F holds the leverin the position to which it is adjusted bythe driver with his foot. In this way the cutters may readily be throwninto or out of operation with but slight attention on the part of thedriver, and without employing spring-detents, locking'raeks, &c., by asimple forward or backward pressure or kick by the drivers foot.

The drivers seat (1: is mounted on a springstandard, G, removablysecured at its lower end by a bolt or bolts upon the inside of the rearend of the main-frame portion of the easin g for the gearing. Theadjustable section or cover half of the gearing-cash] g is slotted atits rear end, and titted loosely on the seatstandard G, so that it mayrock or tip vertically thereon as though hinged, and may also be movedupward bodily by sliding on the standard, and be held in such positionwhen released, to afi'ord a full view of the gearing, admit of repairs,&c.

A down-hanger or brace'attaching arm, ll, formed by arearwardly-1vroiecting downwardly-curved arm of the framcnear the wheelB, completes the main frame in connection with those parts beforedescribed. A stud, ll, projects laterally from the lower end of thisdownhanger, for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

The cutting apparatus, of usual and suitable construction, is connectedwith the main frame by hinged connections, which support it in advanceof the axle, brace it against lateral strains, and adapt it to beelevated and lowered while in operation, to change the height of cut,pass obstructions, Sue.

The cutting apparatus may be thrown up and held (see dotted lines, Fig.3) for transportation. The finger-beam may also be rocked about itslongitudinal axis to tip the guards and elevate or depress their points.

The connections between the cutting apparatus and frame of the machineare as follows: A coupling-arm, I, crosses the front of the machinebeneath the tongue, and is jointed by a hook, t, at its inner or heelend, beneath the forwardly-projecting arm or crank-shaftsnpportingextension 0 of the main frame. The hook t engages a socket, eyebolt, orstaple, I, beneath the arm 0, near its front end, so that thecoupling-arm may be rocked or vibrated vertically about its heel end orhook-that is, it may be turned about a transverse axis, and also becapable of rocking or turning about its longitudinal axis. The couplingarm is straight, or practically straight, and is made wide enough toresist transverse strains. The coupling-arm extends from over the shoeto its heel end in about the plane of the fingerbeamthat is to say, thefinger-beam and coupling-arm are in a common vertical plane, orsubstantially so. At its outer or free end the coupling-arm passesinadvance of the axle and in front of the supporting-wheel to itsshoe-connections, and is forked to connect with lugs or short standardsj j upon the shoe J. These forks are shown as forming part of a yoke, J,straddling the heel end of the fingerbeain J and made separately fromand rig idly bolted to the outer end of the couplingarm. The yoke armsor forks may be in one piece with the coupling-arm, but are preferablyseparate to facilitate repairs, removal, 85c. Pivots j j pass throughthe shoe-lugs and the downwardly and out curved ends or arms of theyoke, in line with each other and transversely to the finger-beam. Therear lug, j, of the shoe has a short arm or inward projection, 7:, whichabuts against the under side of the yoke J, or against a lug thereon, tolimit the descent of the outer end of the finger-beam by dogging itsheel against too great upward play, as will readily be understood.

From the above description it will be seen that the couplingarm may bereadily detached from the main frame simply by unhooking it from the eyeor staple I beneath the arm U, and that the cutting apparatus may beelevated or rocked transversely by giving the desired movements to thecoupling-arm.

To give a rolling or rocking movement about its longitudinal axis to thecoupling arm, and through it to the cutting apparatus, a draft-arm orpush-bar connecting bracket L is rigidly attached to the coupling-arm I,near its outer end or yoke, J and a push-bar or brace-arm, L, isjointedby its hook I with the draft-arm in front of and slightly above thecoupling-arm.

An eye, I, in the draft-arm serves to make the connection between thefront end of the pusltbar and the coupling-arm above and in frontthereof.

At its rear end the push bar or brace L is jointed to the stud h of thedown-hanger H. This push-bar crosses beneath the axle inside of andclose to the supporting-wheel B.

The draft-arm L is connected at its top with a lever, M, by which torock it and the coupling-arm. This lever is pivoted at its lower end tothe inside of the push-bar L, and linked by a rod, m, with the top ofthe draftarm.

To give the proper amount of leverage for rocking the coupling-arm andfinger-beam, the draft-arm extends upward and backward from thecoupling-arm.

The link m, pivoted at its opposite ends to the draft-arm upper end andto the lever M near its lower end, serves to rock the coupling-armbackward and forward, as desired.

A detent rack or sector, M, secured to the inside of the push-bar L, anda spring-detent, m, on the lever, serve to lock the parts in theadjusted position. The sector M and lever M, being thus mounted on thepush-bar, always occupy the proper relative positions, and the pulls andthrusts on the lever and on the link-rod m, connecting it with thedraftarm L, are direct.

A lifting-lever, N, is mounted on a bracket at the side of the arm 0 ofthe frame, near the heel of the draft-pole D. A chain or cord, n, andsuitable detent devices serve to elevate and lower the cutting apparatusand hold it at the desired elevation in a well-known way.

The crank-shaft O is mounted in suitable bearings on top of itssupporting arm 0, above the heel end of the coupling-arm. A crank-wheeland pitman, P, drive the cutters in the usual way.

By casting the main frame in one piece with the arm 0 for supporting thecrank-shaft and to connect with the coupling-arm, and with the ribbedtongue-socket and tool-box projection G I make that portion of the framewhich projects in advance of the axle and is subjected to great lateralstrains very strong at minimum cost, and with the least practicableexpenditure of material.

As any sudden and violent strain upon the finger-beam, such as wouldresult were a stump encountered by the cutting apparatus, is transferredfirst to the main frame by its connections with the finger-beam, andfinally to the tongue and team, it is of great importance that thatportion of the frame to which the tongue is fastened, and which bearsthe final strain in checking the machine, should be of ample strength,as shown.

I claim as my own invention-- 1. The combination of the main frame, thecoupling-arm in the vertical plane of the finger-beam, having a hook atits inner end jointed to the main frame at a point in advance of themain axle, and the shoe to which the coupling-arm is secured at itsouter end, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, to render thecoupling-arm readily detachable from the frame, and give it the capacityof vertical adjustment and of rocking about its longitudinal axis, asdescribed.

2. The combination of the main frame, the push-bar provided with ahooked end, and the coupling-arm, with which and above and in front ofits upper surface the hook of the push-bar is connected, substantiallyas hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the mainframe, the coupling-arm, the push-bar, the draft-arm on thecoupling-arm, the lever pivoted on the push-bar and connected with thedraft-arm, the spring-detent, and the sector mounted on the push-bar.

4. The combination of the coupling-arm, having the forked yoke at itsouter end and the hook at its inner end, the crank-shaftsupporting arm 0of the main frame, beneath which the coupling-arm is jointed by itshook, the shoe having the front and rear lugs, to which the coupling-armis jointed, the liftinglever and chain, the draft-arm, and the rockinglever connecting with said draft-arm, these members being and operatingsubstantially as hereinbefore set forth.

5. The combination of the coupling-arm, the draft-arm thereon, thepush-bar hook-jointed to the draft-arm, the lever mounted on thepush-bar, the link connecting the lever and the draft-arm, and thesector secured upon the push-bar and serving to lock the lever,substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

6. The combination of the main frame, provided, in advance of the axle,with the forwardly-extending crankshaft-supporting corner-arm O andtool-box and tongue-socket extension 0 and in rear of the axle with thedown-hanger H, the coupling-arm hook-jointed at its heel end to the arm0, and forked and pivoted to the shoe at its outer end, the pushbarL,jointed to the main-frame down-hanger, and having the hook-connectionwith the coupling-arm, the lever M, mounted on the push-bar andconnected with the couplingarm, and the lever N, also connected withsaid arm, the combination being and operating substantially ashereinbefore set forth.

7. The combination of the fixed half or lower section of thegear-casing, the seatstandard, and the upper half or cover-section ofthe casing tipping on the seat-standard, substantially as hereinbeforeset forth.

8. The gearing-casing adjustable section or cover, slotted at its rearend to embrace the seat standard and adjustable thereon, substantiallyas hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JAMES HERVA JONES.

Witnesses D. M. HOLLINGSWORTH, WM. H. PASGOE.

